Online marketplace channel access

Abstract

Facilitating access to an online sales channel may involve receiving information describing one or more items for sale by each of multiple sellers, facilitating a sale of the items through one or more online sales channels, and facilitating fulfillment of sold items through one or more fulfillment centers controlled by a connection provider. At least one fulfillment center is operated with respect to the sold items according to one or more parameters tailored to a common feature of the sold items.

1. A method comprising:
 receiving, at a connection provider computer system from a seller's computer system, information describing one or more items for sale by the seller, the connection provider computer system being operated by a connection provider; 
 developing, using the connection provider computer system and based on the information describing the one or more items for sale by the seller, a pricing and listing strategy for selling the one or more items on one or more online sales channels selected, from among multiple potential online sales channels, as being appropriate for selling the one or more items; 
 facilitating, using the connection provider computer system, a sale of the one or more items through the one or more selected online sales channels based on the pricing and listing strategy; 
 determining, using the connection provider computer system and from among multiple, different levels of service, a level of service selected by the seller, the multiple, different levels of service including a first level of service in which the connection provider allows the seller to fulfill orders through the seller's own fulfillment centers and a second level of service in which the connection provider fulfills orders for the seller through one or more tailored fulfillment centers; and 
 in response to a determination that the level of service selected by the seller is the second level of service in which the connection provider fulfills orders for the seller through one or more tailored fulfillment centers; 
 determining, using the connection provider computer system, parameters related to preparation activities needed to ready the one or more items for fulfillment of a sale and storage and handling requirements indicating characteristics that a fulfillment center needs to possess in order to properly store and handle the one or more items, the determined parameters being different than the information describing the one or more items for sale by the seller and being determined without the seller providing parameter information for the one or more items being sold; 
 using the connection provider computer system to select, from among multiple potential fulfillment centers based on the determined parameters related to preparation activities and storage and handling requirements, one or more fulfillment centers tailored to fulfilling orders of items having properties in common with the one or more items; and 
 facilitating, using the connection provider computer system, fulfillment of sold items through the one or more selected fulfillment centers tailored to fulfilling orders of items having properties in common with the one or more items, 
 wherein the connection provider is a separate legal entity from the seller and from entities operating the multiple potential online sales channels, and 
 wherein the connection provider services multiple, different sellers and facilitates fulfillment of items from multiple, different sellers through the one or more selected fulfillment centers. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1  wherein facilitating, using the connection provider computer system, fulfillment of sold items through the one or more selected fulfillment centers tailored to fulfilling orders of items having properties in common with the one or more items comprises tailoring storage or handling characteristics of the fulfillment center to the type of items sold. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1  wherein facilitating, using the connection provider computer system, fulfillment of sold items through the one or more selected fulfillment centers tailored to fulfilling orders of items having properties in common with the one or more items comprises (i) performing preparation activities in connection with fulfilling orders for the items and (ii) tailoring storage or handling characteristics of the fulfillment center to the type of items sold. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1  wherein facilitating, using the connection provider computer system, fulfillment of sold items through the one or more selected fulfillment centers tailored to fulfilling orders of items having properties in common with the one or more items comprises an activity other than (i) performing preparation activities in connection with fulfilling orders for the items or (ii) tailoring storage or handling characteristics of the fulfillment center to the type of items sold. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1  wherein the connection provider comprises a non-title-taking intermediary that coordinates fulfillment of the sold items. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1  wherein facilitating a sale of the items includes providing customer service on behalf of one or more sellers. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6  wherein facilitating a sale of the items further comprises:
 providing billing services; and 
 providing collection services. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7  wherein facilitating a sale of the items further comprises:
 providing online auction capabilities; 
 providing listing tools; and 
 monitoring a progress of the selling performance of the items. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 6  wherein facilitating a sale of the items further comprises:
 developing a selling strategy for the items being sold; 
 managing orders and transportation of the items being sold; and 
 managing inventory for the items being sold. 
 
     
     
       10. A device comprising:
 an interface configured to receive, from a seller's computer system, information describing one or more items for sale by the seller; and 
 a processor configured to:
 develop, based on the information describing the one or more items for sale by the seller, a pricing and listing strategy for selling the one or more items on one or more online sales channels selected, from among multiple potential online sales channels, as being appropriate for selling the one or more items; 
 facilitate a sale of the one or more items through the one or more selected online sales channels based on the pricing and listing strategy; 
 determine, from among multiple, different levels of service, a level of service selected by the seller, the multiple, different levels of service including a first level of service in which a connection provider allows the seller to fulfill orders through the seller's own fulfillment centers and a second level of service in which the connection provider fulfills orders for the seller through one or more tailored fulfillment centers; and 
 in response to a determination that the level of service selected by the seller is the second level of service in which the connection provider fulfills orders for the seller through one or more tailored fulfillment centers; 
 determine parameters related to preparation activities needed to ready the one or more items for fulfillment of a sale and storage and handling requirements indicating characteristics that a fulfillment center needs to possess in order to properly store and handle the one or more items, the determined parameters being different than the information describing the one or more items for sale by the seller and being determined without the seller providing parameter information for the one or more items being sold; 
 select, from among multiple potential fulfillment centers based on the determined parameters related to preparation activities and storage and handling requirements, one or more fulfillment centers tailored to fulfilling orders of items having properties in common with the one or more items; and 
 facilitate fulfillment of sold items through the one or more selected fulfillment centers tailored to fulfilling orders of items having properties in common with the one or more items, 
 
 wherein the device is operated by a connection provider that is a separate legal entity from the seller and from entities operating the multiple potential online sales channels, and 
 wherein the connection provider services multiple, different sellers and facilitates fulfillment of items from multiple, different sellers through the one or more selected fulfillment centers. 
 
     
     
       11. The device of  claim 10  wherein the processor is configured to facilitate fulfillment of sold items through the one or more selected fulfillment centers tailored to fulfilling orders of items having properties in common with the one or more items by tailoring storage or handling characteristics of the fulfillment center to the type of items sold. 
     
     
       12. The device of  claim 10  wherein the processor is configured to facilitate fulfillment of sold items through the one or more selected fulfillment centers tailored to fulfilling orders of items having properties in common with the one or more items by (i) performing preparation activities in connection with fulfilling orders for the items and (ii) tailoring storage or handling characteristics of the fulfillment center to the type of items sold. 
     
     
       13. The device of  claim 10  wherein the processor is configured to facilitate fulfillment of sold items through the one or more selected fulfillment centers tailored to fulfilling orders of items having properties in common with the one or more items by performing an activity other than (i) performing preparation activities in connection with fulfilling orders for the items or (ii) tailoring storage or handling characteristics of the fulfillment center to the type of items sold. 
     
     
       14. The device of  claim 10  wherein the connection provider comprises a non-title-taking intermediary that coordinates fulfillment of the sold items. 
     
     
       15. The device of  claim 10  wherein the processor is configured to facilitate a sale of the items by providing customer service on behalf of one or more sellers. 
     
     
       16. The device of  claim 15  wherein the processor is further configured to:
 provide billing services; and 
 provide collection services. 
 
     
     
       17. The device of  claim 16  wherein the processor is further configured to:
 provide online auction capabilities; 
 provide listing tools; and 
 monitor a progress of the selling performance of the items. 
 
     
     
       18. The device of  claim 15  wherein the processor is configured to:
 develop a selling strategy for the items being sold; 
 manage orders and transportation of the items being sold; and 
 manage inventory for the items being sold. 
 
     
     
       19. A computer storage medium encoded with a computer program, the program comprising instructions that when executed by data processing apparatus cause the data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:
 receiving, at a connection provider computer system from a seller's computer system, information describing one or more items for sale by the seller, the connection provider computer system being operated by a connection provider; 
 developing, using the connection provider computer system and based on the information describing the one or more items for sale by the seller, a pricing and listing strategy for selling the one or more items on one or more online sales channels selected, from among multiple potential online sales channels, as being appropriate for selling the one or more items; 
 facilitating, using the connection provider computer system, a sale of the one or more items through the one or more selected online sales channels based on the pricing and listing strategy; 
 determining, using the connection provider computer system and from among multiple different levels of service, a level of service selected by the seller, the multiple, different levels of service including a first level of service in which the connection provider allows the seller to fulfill orders through the seller's own fulfillment centers and a second level of service in which the connection provider fulfills orders for the seller through one or more tailored fulfillment centers; 
 in response to a determination that the level of service selected by the seller is the second level of service in which the connection provider fulfills orders for the seller through one or more tailored fulfillment centers:
 determining, using the connection provider computer system, parameters related to preparation activities needed to ready the one or more items for fulfillment of a sale and storage and handling requirements indicating characteristics that a fulfillment center needs to possess in order to properly store and handle the one or more items, the determined parameters being different than the information describing the one or more items for sale by the seller and being determined without the seller providing parameter information for the one or more items being sold; 
 using the connection provider computer system to select, from among multiple potential fulfillment centers based on the determined parameters related to preparation activities and storage and handling requirements, one or more fulfillment centers tailored to fulfilling orders of items having properties in common with the one or more items; and 
 facilitating, using the connection provider computer system, fulfillment of sold items through the one or more selected fulfillment centers tailored to fulfilling orders of items having properties in common with the one or more items, 
 
 wherein the connection provider is a separate legal entity from the seller and from entities operating the multiple potential online sales channels, and 
 wherein the connection provider services multiple, different sellers and facilitates fulfillment of items from multiple, different sellers through the one or more selected fulfillment centers.